Good News, Back Half October with guest writer Maggie Duff

Hello everyone, I am Maggie Duff, Robert Duff's mom. This is my first blog and I hope I can fulfill the position while Robert takes a break. Hasn't it been a joy to read his past Good News Blogs ? I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have.

Good News for the second half of October

• Danielle reports over 2000 miles on her bike this year and still has 2 months left. Wow, way to go.!!
• Susan went to Tybee Island for the Alpha Chi Sigma SE District Conclave . Beautiful place, met 130+ brothers, and had a wonderful time.
• Josie reports, Max is feeling better, glad to hear that.
• Cindy's 4-H kids put on a great spaghetti dinner last night, and all the profits went to the MS foundation. . Kudos to you all. Awesome job everyone.
• I reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers were playing well despite the bumble bee uniforms. Kumihimo (Japanese weaving) Classes are all set up. Life is Good!!
• Melissa reported that one of her neighbors was having a run of bad luck. Kind of everything going wrong; However, Melissa's husband was able to fix their heat pump at no cost. I'm sure they really appreciated the help.
• Shanna reported YEA to this!!! You helped me raise $20,407.00 for LLS
• Chuck reports that Alpha Chi Sigma Installed it's 100^th Collegiate Chapter !!!!!!
• Calvin says they are all alive, it is good to be above the ground !!
• Diana reports that the Gala to raise money for a local orphanage went well and raised lots of money.!
• Donna has reunited with old friends on FB and is enjoying catching up on the news. That is really nice. Also, a new pair of running shoes and in PURPLE. What more could you want, enjoy your runs.
• Donna G. finished her fourth full marathon. Great Job !!
• Pam said she and family, including her mom, went to the Pumpkin Patch. Went on a hayride and had a really good time. Angry Bird Costume for Matthew. Getting ready for Costume Party Friday night.
  
• Robert said that the room he has at Jefferson would catch a great price as an apartment in NYC. I say, only if it was warm..!!!
• Daynell, I love how you keep your spirits up. Duff
• Allison, We got to spend the weekend with your daughter ( my granddaughter) making slime and going to Scout day at the Museum. Sounded like fun.
• Josie, says Max is better, glad to hear that, Our pets are very important to the family.
• I am reporting on my Chuck's State Softball Tournament, they won and it was great. Ready now for the trip to Philadelphia . ( Chuck is Duff's Dad).
• Pam, reports Bo's cousins are coming for a few days on the way to Oklahoma for their sons Army Boot Camp graduation. Hope the visit was good. And Thank that young man for serving....
• Patrick's Kids left out their Halloween Candy HAD Peanut M&M 's Duff calls that the Daddy Tax
• Donna's Fourth Marathon was her slowest ,Way to go Donna, Duff is proud of you. !!!! What Run was it ?
• Shana recommends the noodles from CheU Take Out near the hospital Really Yummy
• Melissa, was able to find a Groot costume and did not have to make one. I made an ET for Duff one time and everyone thought he was a puppy. !!
• Danielle, is really getting organized ! Planning two days in advanced getting caught up on grading and even thinking into next year. Good for you , Is your Christmas Shopping complete yet ?
• Christina, thanks to the remind app. About the pot luck in your sons Spanish class ,even if it was only 12 hours notice.. Taco Bell is open till Midnight in case your desperate.
• Lisa, is rooting for Robert !!
• Donna, took her son to see Hozier and had a great time. Made a new resolution to work on for myself and my family. Had a decent run on the mill.
• I 'm proud to report Chuck's entire softball team dedicated the State Tournament To Duff. They Won and Sent the Trophy to Duff. Chuck his an amazing Grand Slam. One for the record books.......
• Pam, says family from Alabama arrived and having a good time. Headed to the Capital Austin and some museums. Life with family is important.......
• Duff, Cindy , I will pass along an awesome recipe for cauliflower mac and cheese soon.

It has been a joy to read about all your news. It makes you most appreciative of the large and small things in life , just to share them with others. Thank you for your kindness to Robert, I don't call him Duff and I hope he will feel up to returning to his duties as the Chief Good News Blogger.

Mom Duff

Good News Weekly 12 April 2014

Well, I had these plans to possibly get the good news out early seeing as it was kind of a shortened week.  My man Timah had put the logic together in a short post.

Because Friday is Good Friday and we are off I'm declaring today as Wednesday. We will call it "fake Hump Day!"

But then I fell asleep and then Agents of Shield came on and that was that.  Of course actual Hump Day came and eventually it was bed time and excuses and more excuses.  So here I am on the Friday of the week.  In any case it was a great gathering of good news this week.  Lets get to it and I will start it off.

Good News for the Week of 12 April 2014

•  I had an interesting scare with an extremely low phosphate concentration in my blood.  The interesting part is that when this happens other electrolytes make radical changes along with the phosphate but that did not happen.  The doctors were befuddled which is funnier than you might think.  Then my phosphate levels returned to normal that night and I broke the rules and set a land speed record by getting out in just one day.
• More me.  I put out the notice to save the date for my 39th birthday for a 39 mile run.  More details will be coming soon.
• Donna's daughter, Kelly, turned 14 on Friday and so far she has survived the teenage thing so far.  Also her running buddy is ready to run again and it kicking cancers butt.  She has also come to terms with an internal struggle which is awesome.  Donna also is racing in the Run or Dye this Saturday.
• Tracy reports that her sweet newborn baby is no longer colicy and she is feeling better. 
• Helen is visiting Michael's grandmother who is 93.  That is awesome, thanks to modern technology I can video chat with my grandmother since I am not able to visit her.  
• Laura says it's spring break.  She it taking the time to visit some national parks with the family and some amazing friends.  I have thought about going on the national park circuit but my tendency is to run through them and that will leave out the family.
• Cindy's husband visited the ER and had a stress test and they were all negative (which means good).  Evidently, he is going to de-stress with some machine guns this past weekend.  I remember the soft gentle touch of the firing off an entire mag from a well cleaned M16.  It was like pillows bumping my shoulder.
• Over half of Susan's lab is on mandatory PTO so it should be a quiet week.
• At Alpha Omega Matt and Jen are helping to initiate brothers from Beta Iota for the first time in forty years. Brothers at the Swamp will be awesome.
• Maggie is doing a little spring cleaning and it is going great and it helps relieve the stress.  Also, the last kumihimo class of the season is done.  I don't know how she will go so long without teaching.
• Melissa's mother -in-law took the kids and she had the day to herself and she got garden in piece except for one helpful chicken.
• Jen had a great time at an initiation at the Tampa pre-colony.  More brothers come from Florida.  Awesome!
• Abbey had date night with the "hubby."  I think I remember dating.  Space and I may have actually gone on one recently. 
• Patrick interviewed at the University of Iowa and they want him.  A formal offer is forthcoming, soon.  They also like is idea for a course, Development in Ghana.
• More from Patrick, high of 77 and it is Springfest on campus.  And, there is a shepherd in Scotland that dyes his sheep different colors to delight passers bye.
• Danielle reports, that despite the forecast for a wintery mix, she has finally clear the house of the last signs of winter.  She got her first sunburn of the year and that means it was nice enough to be outside for most of the day.  Perhaps, the rain delayed enough for her to break in her new shoes and/or run some errands on the bike.
• Pam's son Mathew turned 10 on saturday and had a nice day with family and new friends.  She also reports that her mom is driving short distance again.  It is good to see my Aunt regaining her independence.  Great news from the Texas branch of the family.
• Josie took Max and Dolce to the vet and they had clean check ups.  Max is going to be 14 this week and has some old man issues but it is all good.  
• Jen got her spring on last thursday.  She got to play outside in some 75 degree weather.  So lucky you guys are with spring weather.  Not so much of that here in SE Pennsylvania.
• Susan come backs with here Taxes are done had a beautiful day at the beach.  She had dinner with her parents and some aunts.  
• Jason found his lost wedding ring.  Hoorah!  I could imagine the grief that may have caused.
• Diana finished her sixth half marathon and her third one with her mom. Amazing.  The hardest part was not getting to the finish but getting to the start.  Congratulations.

Well, that was bit of great news.  So many victories and so much sharing.  It is such a shame that I got lazy and it took so long for me to get out the post.  I promise to be more diligent in the future.  Of course we know from past data that the trend would have an outlier.  Well, I got some great news to share next week and I hope you guys continue to share.